Potato-digger.



J. HIST. POTATO BIGGER. APPLIOATIQN FILED mm: 12, 1911.

1,014,394, 7 Patented Jan. 9, 1912 x 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J HIST. POTATO BIGGER. APPLICATION FILED mm: 12, 1911.

1 ,014, 3 94, Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR JOHN ms'r, or manna, on'Io.

POTATO-BIGGER.

Application filed June 12, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJan.9,1912.

Serial No. 632,733.

ing mechanism,

My invention relates to potato diggers and.

is designed to provide a cheap, efliclent means for supporting driving mechanism on the main frame. Also in an arrangement of clutch'mechanism which is adapted connected by the movement of the shaker to disconnect the conveyer and shaker from the driving mechanism.

The precise nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, described, it being premised, however, that various changes may b de in the d tails of construction and arrangement 0 parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the main frame, 3 the axle, and 4 the supporting wheels. The main frame 2, together with the 'w11i011S parts connected thereto, is adapted to swing about the axis of the wheels when the main frame is .adjusted as hereinafter described.

5 is an endlessconveyer mounted on rollers 6 journaled on frame, and sprocket wheels 7 which are rigidly connected to a shaft 8 journaled in bearings 9 on the rear end of the main frame.

10 is the digging shovel which is connected to the front end of the main frame.

The journal pins of the rollers 6, are mounted in a yoke or bracket 11 connected to both sides of the front end of the main frame.

Pivotally connected to the main frame at 12 is an auxiliary frame 13 which is proside elevation of one formthe shaker and its,

to be automatically diswhich will now be the front end of the main' vided at its front end wheels 14.

15 is the tongue frame which is pivotally connected to the auxiliary frame at 16. 17 is the adjusting mechanism for adj ustwith the gage ing the tongue frame with relation to theauxiliary frame, and 18' designates similar mechanism for adjusting the. relative positionsof the main and auxiliaryframes.

Connected to each of the supporting wheels 4 or the axle 3, arethe main driving sprocket wheels '19. Loosely j'ournaled on theshaft 8 are the sprocket wheels 20,-adapted to be moved longitudinally by their respective clutch levers 21. Each of these sprocket wheels 20 is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth arranged .to engage a pin or projection 22 on the shaft 8, to rotate it when the sprocket wheels are shifted into clutching position. The clutch levers are pivotally mounted at 23 between their ends. One end of each of these levers is. forked and is arranged to be seatedin an annular groove in its sprocket wheel, and the other end of each lever is provided with a cam face 24, and a flat face 25.. I

26 are springs, one end of each being con' nected to the main frame of the machine and the other end being connected to their respective levers 21. These are arranged to hold the sprocket wheels 20in clutching engagement with the pins on the shaft 8.

Rotatably mounted on each side of the main frame and at the front thereof,'are the idle sprocket wheels 27 and 27 a are also idle sprocket wheels, one on each side of the main frame. Y

28 are the driving sprocket chains, one on each side of the machine, each engaging its respective sprocket wheels 19, 20, 27 and 27 and are arranged 'to drive the conveyer 5 and the shaker through the medium of the shaft 8. The sprocket wheels 27 are eachj rotatably mounted on a pin 29, which is arranged to be adjusted in a slot 30 to ad just the tension of its respective driving sprocket chains. I

Pivotally mounted at 31 to the rear end of the main frame is a supporting frame having rearwardly extending arms 52,- and forwardly extending arms 33 The forwardly extending arms are arranged to en gage the levers 21 to disengage the clutches, as hereinafter described.

34 designates the shaker having an arm oneach. side thereof jo'urnaled on cranks 35 fixedly connected to 36 are links connecting the shaker 34: to

. the rearwardly extending arms 32, and are shaken'from the vines.

1 as'shown in Fig; 4, thereby permitting the shaker supporting frame,

through theconveyer, .of ground and vines adapted to support and adjust the rear end of the shaker.

.Pivotally mounted on the main frame and adjacent to the operators seat 37 is a lever 38 having a link connection 39 with the and arranged to adjust the height of the -shaker.'

40 is a spring actuated locking device, to engage the teeth in the stationary rack 41 for locking the shaker adjusting lever 38 in its adjustedposition.

WVhen the'parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the conveyer and shaker will be actuated by means of the sprocket chains 28, which will in turn rotate the shaft 8. The loose soil and potatoes dug up by the shovel will be conveyed to the shakervby means of the conveyer '5, the small particles of earth and freed potatoes will drop 'to the ground while the large lumps with attachedpotatoes will be carried to the shaker where the large lumps 'will be broken up and the potatoes When the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and--3,"-the sprocket wheels 20 will be in clutching en gagement with the shaft, but when the shaker has been elevated to its highest point the forwardly extending arm 33 will engage the cam faces 24 of the clutch level-s21 and shift said levers againstthe action of'their springs 26 and disconnect the ratchet teeth on thesprocket wheels 20 from the pins 22,

sprocket wheels tofreely rotate on the shaft,

and allow the shaker and conveyer to remain stationary.

The advantages of my inventionresultsfrom the provision of means for automati cally disconnecting'the drivlng mechanism from the driven shaft when the shaker is raised to its inoperative position.

It will readily be understood by those familia'r with the art that changes in the clutches and clutch shifting mechanism, as

the ends of the shaft 8.

. ing mechanism for the frame,

. frame,

wellas in the driving mechanism can be made, without departing from my invention. 'Iclaim: I

1. A potato digger having a conveyer frame, a movable conveyer mounted on said frame, means for adjusting the conveyer frame, a receiving frame adjustably moun ted on the conveyer frame arranged-to receive the potatoes from the conveyer, drivclutc'h, meansfor adjusting the receiving frame with relation to the conveyer frame, andclutch shifting-mechanism arranged to be actuated by ing frame; substantially as described. j

2. A potato digger having a conveyer frame, an auxiliary frame, means on the auxiliary frame for adjusting the conveyer conveyer including a the movement of the receiva movable conveyer mounted on said frame, a receiving frame 'adjustably mount-L. I

ed on the conveyer frame arranged to receive the potatoes from the conveyer, a driving shaft forthe conveyer mounted on the conveyer frame, driving mechanism for said shaft including a clutch,means for adju'sting the receiv ng frame with relation to the conveyer. frame, and clutch shifting mechanism arrangedto be actuated by the move- .ment of the receivingframe; substantially as described.

3. A potato digger having a conveyerframe, a movable conveyer mounted on said frame, means for adjusting the conveyer a receiving frame adjustably mount ed on the conveyer frame arranged to receive the potatoes from the conveyer, means on the receiving frame' for agitating the material received from the conveyer, driving mechanismfo r the conveyer .and agitating r means on the" receiving frame including'a clutch, means for adjusting the receiving frame with relation to the conveyer frame, and clutch shifting mechanism arranged to "be actuated by the movement of the .receiving frame; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN HISTQ Witnesses:

- E. J .KENNEDY, WM. H. 'AMES. 

